Antenna selection and training using a spatial spreading matrix for use in a wireless MIMO communication system

ABSTRACT

Channel sounding information is received by a first communication device during an antenna selection training procedure. Antenna selection computations are performed, and the computations (i) assume that a second communication device uses a first N ss  columns of a full-dimensional spatial spreading matrix to transmit the channel sounding information during the antenna selection training procedure, and (ii) accounts for the use, by the second communication device, of the first N ss  columns of the full-dimensional spatial spreading matrix when transmitting N ss  spatial streams. The full dimensional channel spatial spreading matrix has components i) a number of rows equal to a number, N T , of transmission chains to be used by the second communication device to transmit spatial data streams, and ii) a column dimension having a number of columns equal to N T , and N ss  is less than both N T  and N R , the number of receiving chains of the first communication device.

RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a continuation application of U.S.application Ser. No. 13/178,312, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,213,539, entitled“Antenna Selection and Training Using a Spatial Spreading Matrix for Usein a Wireless MIMO Communication System,” filed Jul. 7, 2011, which is acontinuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/105,750, now U.S. Pat. No.7,978,784, filed on Apr. 18, 2008, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C.§119 (e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/913,070, filed on Apr.20, 2007. All of the above-identified patent applications are herebyincorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

The disclosure relates generally to wireless communication systems and,more particularly, to a system and method for the simultaneoustransmission of multiple streams of information or data in amultiple-input, multiple-output wireless communication system.

BACKGROUND

An ever-increasing number of relatively inexpensive, low power wirelessdata communication services, networks and devices have been madeavailable over the past number of years, promising near wire speedtransmission and reliability. Various wireless technologies aredescribed in detail in the 802.11 IEEE Standards, including for example,the IEEE Standard 802.11a (1999) and its updates and amendments, theIEEE Standard 802.11g (2003), and the IEEE Standard 802.11n that is nowin the process of being adopted, all of which are collectivelyincorporated herein fully by reference. These standards have been or arein the process of being commercialized with the promise of 54 Mbps ormore effective throughput, making them a strong competitor totraditional wired Ethernet and the more common “802.11b” or “WiFi” 11Mbps mobile wireless transmission standard.

Generally speaking, transmission systems compliant with the IEEE 802.11aand 802.11g or “802.11a/g” as well as the 802.11n standards achievetheir high data transmission rates using Orthogonal Frequency DivisionModulation (OFDM) encoded symbols mapped up to a 64 quadrature amplitudemodulation (QAM) multi-carrier constellation. In a general sense, theuse of OFDM divides the overall system bandwidth into a number offrequency sub-bands or channels, with each frequency sub-band beingassociated with a respective sub-carrier upon which data may bemodulated. Thus, each frequency sub-band of the OFDM system may beviewed as an independent transmission channel within which to send data,thereby increasing the overall throughput or transmission rate of thecommunication system.

Transmitters used in the wireless communication systems that arecompliant with the aforementioned 802.11a/802.11g/802.11n standards aswell as other standards such as the 802.16a IEEE Standard, typicallyperform multi-carrier OFDM symbol encoding (which may include errorcorrection encoding and interleaving), convert the encoded symbols intothe time domain using Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) techniques,and perform digital to analog conversion and conventional radiofrequency (RF) upconversion on the signals. These transmitters thentransmit the modulated and upconverted signals after appropriate poweramplification to one or more receivers, resulting in a relativelyhigh-speed time domain signal with a large peak-to-average ratio (PAR).

Likewise, the receivers used in the wireless communication systems thatare compliant with the aforementioned 802.11a/802.11g/802.11n and802.16a IEEE standards typically include an RF receiving unit thatperforms RF downconversion and filtering of the received signals (whichmay be performed in one or more stages), and a baseband processor unitthat processes the OFDM encoded symbols bearing the data of interest.The digital form of each OFDM symbol presented in the frequency domainis recovered after baseband downconverting, conventional analog todigital conversion and Fast Fourier Transformation of the received timedomain signal. Thereafter, the baseband processor performs demodulationand frequency domain equalization (FEQ) to recover the transmittedsymbols, and these symbols are then processed with an appropriate FECdecoder, e.g. a Viterbi decoder, to estimate or determine the mostlikely identity of the transmitted symbol. The recovered and recognizedstream of symbols is then decoded, which may include deinterleaving anderror correction using any of a number of known error correctiontechniques, to produce a set of recovered signals corresponding to theoriginal signals transmitted by the transmitter.

In wireless communication systems, the RF modulated signals generated bythe transmitter may reach a particular receiver via a number ofdifferent propagation paths, the characteristics of which typicallychange over time due to the phenomena of multi-path and fading.Moreover, the characteristics of a propagation channel differ or varybased on the frequency of propagation. To compensate for the timevarying, frequency selective nature of the propagation effects, andgenerally to enhance effective encoding and modulation in a wirelesscommunication system, each receiver of the wireless communication systemmay periodically develop or collect channel state information (CSI) foreach of the frequency channels, such as the channels associated witheach of the OFDM sub-bands discussed above. Generally speaking, CSI isinformation describing one or more characteristics of each of the OFDMchannels (for example, the gain, the phase and the SNR of each channel).Upon determining the CSI for one or more channels, the receiver may sendthis CSI back to the transmitter, which may use the CSI for each channelto precondition the signals transmitted using that channel so as tocompensate for the varying propagation effects of each of the channels.

To further increase the number of signals which may be propagated in thecommunication system and/or to compensate for deleterious effectsassociated with the various propagation paths, and to thereby improvetransmission performance, it is known to use multiple transmission andreceive antennas within a wireless transmission system. Such a system iscommonly referred to as a multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO)wireless transmission system and is specifically provided for within the802.11n IEEE Standard now being adopted. As is known, the use of MIMOtechnology produces significant increases in spectral efficiency,throughput and link reliability, and these benefits generally increaseas the number of transmission and receive antennas within the MIMOsystem increases.

In particular, in addition to the frequency channels created by the useof OFDM, a MIMO channel formed by the various transmission and receiveantennas between a particular transmitter and a particular receiverincludes a number of independent spatial channels. As is known, awireless MIMO communication system can provide improved performance(e.g., increased transmission capacity) by utilizing the additionaldimensionalities created by these spatial channels for the transmissionof additional data. Of course, the spatial channels of a wideband MIMOsystem may experience different channel conditions (e.g., differentfading and multi-path effects) across the overall system bandwidth andmay therefore achieve different SNRs at different frequencies (i.e., atthe different OFDM frequency sub-bands) of the overall system bandwidth.Consequently, the number of information bits per modulation symbol(i.e., the data rate) that may be transmitted using the differentfrequency sub-bands of each spatial channel for a particular level ofperformance may differ from frequency sub-band to frequency sub-band.

Typically, data is transmitted along one or more receive chains at thereceiver and one or more transmitting chains at the transmitter. Thedata streams in the chain-to-chain transmission are transmitted via achannel matrix, which is described as the full MIMO channel between thetransmission and receiving antennas. Where the number of receive chainsis less than the number of receiving antennas and/or the number oftransmit chains is less than the number of transmission antennas, theactual channel matrix used for transmitting the data streams is asub-matrix of the full-dimensional channel matrix. Because the channelcoefficients corresponding to the different antennas are different, itis important to select the appropriate antennas to transmit and/orreceive the transmission. There are many known techniques for antennaselection and training, which are typically conducted based on anestimation of the channel sub-matrix.

When mapping encoded spatial data streams to the transmit chains, afull-dimensional channel spatial spreading matrix is applied, andantenna selection is based on the full-dimensional channel spatialspreading matrix. The value for the full-dimensional channel spatialspreading matrix is typically standardized or otherwise known to boththe transmitter and receiver. However, there are instances in which theactual data transmission of encoded spatial data streams includes anumber of spatial data streams that is less than the number of transmitchains. Because it is desirable to transmit all signals from allavailable transmit chains in order to maximize the channel gain, thespatial mapping of the spatial data streams to the transmit chains isperformed by applying a spatial spreading matrix before transmitting thedata and after antenna selection, rather than applying thefull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix. That is, the spatialspreading matrix that maps the spatial data streams to the transmitchains is different from, and generally smaller than, thefull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix.

Consequently, antenna selection during training is based on thefull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix, whereas the actual operationof transmitting the spatial data streams is based on the spatialspreading matrix. The spatial spreading matrix is known only to thetransmitter, and not to the receiver which bases its antenna selectionon the full-dimensional spatial spreading matrix. Neither thetransmitter nor the receiver account for the spatial spreading matrixwhen the encoded spatial data streams includes a number of spatial datastreams that is less than the number of transmit chains. As a result,without accounting for the spatial spreading matrix at the transmitter,antenna selection computation is not accurate. It is therefore desirableto account for the spatial spreading matrix when selecting antennas fortransmitting and/or receiving the data transmissions.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, at a first communicationdevice, channel sounding information during an antenna selectiontraining procedure, wherein (i) the first communication device has anumber, N_(R), of receiving chains, and (ii) the channel soundinginformation either (a) was transmitted using different subsets of a setof transmission antennas of a second communication device, or (b) isreceived using different subsets of a set of receiving antennas of thefirst communication device. The method also includes performing, at thefirst communication device, antenna selection computations that (i) usethe channel sounding information received during the antenna selectiontraining procedure, (ii) assume that the second communication deviceuses a first N_(ss) columns of a full-dimensional spatial spreadingmatrix to transmit the channel sounding information during the antennaselection training procedure, and (iii) accounts for the use, by thesecond communication device, of the first N_(ss) columns of thefull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix when transmitting N_(ss)spatial streams. Additionally, the method includes one of (i) (a)generating, at the first communication device, antenna selectionfeedback using the antenna selection computations, and (b) transmitting,from the first communication device to the second communication device,the antenna selection feedback, or (ii) selecting, at the firstcommunication device, a subset of the set of receiving antennas of thefirst communication device using the antenna selection computations. Thefull dimensional channel spatial spreading matrix has componentsassociated with i) a row dimension having a number of rows equal to anumber, N_(T), of transmission chains to be used by the secondcommunication device to transmit spatial data streams, and ii) a columndimension having a number of columns equal to N_(T), and N_(ss) is lessthan both N_(T) and N_(R).

In another embodiment, a first communication device comprises atransceiver device having a number, N_(R), of receiving chains, thetransceiver device configured to receive channel sounding informationduring an antenna selection training procedure, wherein the channelsounding information either (a) was transmitted using different subsetsof a set of transmission antennas of a second communication device, or(b) is received using different subsets of a set of receiving antennascoupled to the transceiver. The transceiver device is also configured toperform antenna selection computations that (i) use the channel soundinginformation received during the antenna selection training procedure,(ii) assume that the second communication device uses a first N_(ss)columns of a full-dimensional spatial spreading matrix to transmit thechannel sounding information during the antenna selection trainingprocedure, and (iii) accounts for the use, by the second communicationdevice, of the first N_(ss) columns of the full-dimensional spatialspreading matrix when transmitting N_(ss) spatial streams. Additionally,the transceiver device is configured to one of (i) (a) generate antennaselection feedback using the antenna selection computations, and (b)transmit, to a second communication device, the antenna selectionfeedback, or (ii) select a subset of the set of receiving antennas foruse by the first communication device using the antenna selectioncomputations. The full dimensional channel spatial spreading matrix hascomponents associated with i) a row dimension having a number of rowsequal to a number, N_(T), of transmission chains to be used by thesecond communication device to transmit spatial data streams, and ii) acolumn dimension having a number of columns equal to N_(T), and N_(ss)is less than both N_(T) and N_(R).

In yet another embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable storagemedium has stored thereon machine readable instructions that, whenexecuted by a processing device of a first communication device, causethe processing device to perform antenna selection computations that (i)use channel sounding information received by the first communicationdevice during an antenna selection training procedure, (ii) assume thata second communication device uses a first N_(ss) columns of afull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix to transmit the channelsounding information during the antenna selection training procedure,and (iii) accounts for the use, by the second communication device, ofthe first N_(ss) columns of the full-dimensional spatial spreadingmatrix when transmitting N_(ss) spatial streams. Additionally, themachine readable instructions, when executed by a processing device of afirst communication device, cause the processing device to, one of, (i)generate antenna selection feedback using the antenna selectioncomputations, wherein the antenna selection feedback is for transmissionfrom the first communication device to the second communication device,or (ii) select a subset of the set of receiving antennas of the firstcommunication device using the antenna selection computations. The fulldimensional channel spatial spreading matrix has components associatedwith i) a row dimension having a number of rows equal to a number,N_(T), of transmission chains to be used by the second communicationdevice to transmit spatial data streams, and ii) a column dimensionhaving a number of columns equal to N_(T), and N_(ss) is less than bothN_(T) and N_(R).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a wireless MIMO communication system thatdetermines and uses a spatial spreading matrix to provide for equalpower output at all of the transmission antennas of a transmitter;

FIGS. 2A-2E illustrate examples of the antenna selection and trainingtechniques as used with various antenna selections and spatial streams;and

FIGS. 3A-3H illustrate examples of various different devices in which awireless communication system implementing the antenna selection andtraining techniques described herein may be used.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While the transmission techniques described herein for processing andeffecting a wireless data transmission are described as being used incommunication systems that use one of the IEEE Standard 802.11(x)communication standards, these techniques may be used in various othertypes of wireless communication systems and are not limited to thoseconforming to one or more of the IEEE Standard 802.11(x) standards.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a MIMO communication system 10 is illustratedin block diagram form as generally including a single transmitter 12having multiple transmission antennas (or antenna elements) 14A-14N anda single receiver 16 having multiple receiver antennas (or antennaelements) 18A-18M. The number of transmission antennas 14A-14N can bethe same as, more than, or less than the number of receiver antennas18A-18M. As shown in FIG. 1, the transmitter 12 may include a controller20 coupled to a memory 21, to a symbol encoder and modulator unit 22 andto a spatial spreading block 24. The transmitter 12 may also include amatrix equalizer 25 and a symbol demodulator and decoder unit 26 toperform demodulation and decoding of signals received via the antennas14A-14N in a receive mode. Additionally, in some instances, thetransmitter 12 may include a spreading matrix calculation unit 28.

The controller 12 may be any desired type of controller and thecontroller 12 and the spreading matrix calculation unit 28 may beimplemented as one or more standard multi-purpose, programmableprocessors, such as micro-processors, as application specific integratedcircuits (ASICs), etc., or may be implemented using any other desiredtypes of hardware, software and/or firmware. Likewise, the spatialspreading block 24, and the matrix equalizer 25 may be implemented usingknown or standard hardware and/or software elements. If desired, variousof the transmitter components, such as the controller 20, the modulatorunit 22, the demodulator unit 26, the spreading matrix calculation unit28, the spatial spreading block 24 and the matrix equalizer 25 may beimplemented in the same or in different hardware devices, such as in thesame or different processors. Additionally, each of these components ofthe transmitter 12 may be disposed in a housing 31 (shown in dottedrelief in FIG. 1) and the routines or instructions for implementing thefunctionality of any of these components may be stored in the memory 21or within other memory devices associated with the individual hardwareused to implement these components.

Likewise, if desired, one or more pre-calculated or predeterminedspatial spreading matrices may be stored in the memory 21 and used inthe spatial spreading matrix block 24 at various times or under variousdifferent conditions. Thus, for example, a different pre-calculated orpredetermined spatial spreading matrix may be stored for each of anumber of possible combinations of encoded spatial streams of data to betransmitted and transmission antennas 14 to be used to simultaneouslytransmit these encoded spatial streams of data. Thus, for example, adifferent spatial spreading matrix may be calculated and stored for twospatial streams of data being sent via three of the transmissionantennas 14, for two spatial streams of data being sent via four of thetransmission antennas 14, for three spatial streams of data being sentvia five transmission antennas 14, etc. In this manner, thecommunication system 10 may optimally send different numbers of spatialstreams of data at different times, depending on the load of the system.Moreover, the communication system 10 may also use these variousdifferent pre-stored or pre-calculated spatial spreading matrices toaccount for or to adapt to the loss of one or more of the transmissionantennas 14 to be used in sending data within the communication system10.

During operation, information signals T_(x1)-T_(xn) which are to betransmitted from the transmitter 12 to the receiver 16 are provided tothe symbol encoder and modulator unit 22 for encoding and modulation. Ofcourse, any desired number of signals T_(x1)-T_(xn) may be provided tothe modulator unit 22, with this number generally being limited by themodulation scheme used by and the bandwidth associated with the MIMOcommunication system 10. Additionally, the signals T_(x1)-T_(xn) may beany type of signals, including analog or digital signals, and mayrepresent any desired type of data or information. Additionally, ifdesired, a known test or control signal C_(x1) (which may be stored inthe memory 21) may be provided to the symbol encoder and modulator unit22 for use in determining CSI related information describing thecharacteristics of the channel(s) between the transmitter 12 and thereceiver 16. If desired, the same control signal or a different controlsignal may be used to determine the CSI for each frequency and/orspatial channel used in the MIMO communication system 10.

The symbol encoder and modulator unit 22 may interleave digitalrepresentations of the various signals T_(x1)-T_(xn) and C_(x1) and mayperform any other known type(s) of error-correction encoding on thesignals T_(x1)-T_(xn) and C_(x1) to produce one or more encoded streamsof symbols SS₁, SS₂, . . . SS_(p), to be modulated and sent from thetransmitter 12 to the receiver 16. While the symbol streams SS₁-SS_(p)may be modulated using any desired or suitable QAM technique, such asusing 64 QAM, these symbols may be modulated in any other known ordesired manner including, for example, using any other desired phaseand/or frequency modulation techniques. In any event, the modulatedencoded symbol streams SS₁-SS_(p) are provided by the symbol encoder andmodulator unit 22 to the spatial spreading block 24 for processingbefore being transmitted via the antennas 14A-14N. While notspecifically shown in FIG. 1, the modulated symbol streams SS₁-SS_(p)may be processed by the spatial spreading block 24 that implements aspatial spreading matrix in accordance with a transmission techniquemore specifically described below, before being up-converted to the RFcarrier frequencies associated with an OFDM technique (in one or morestages). Upon receiving the modulated signals, the spatial spreadingblock 24 processes the modulated signals by injecting delays and/orgains into the modulated signals based on a spatial spreading matrixwhich may be calculated by the spreading matrix calculation unit 28, andprovided by, for example, the controller 12, to thereby perform mixingand transmission of the spatial streams of data across the transmissionantennas 14A-14N and across the transmission chains.

The signals transmitted by the transmitter 12 are received by thereceiver antennas 18A-18M and may be processed by a matrix equalizer 35within the receiver 16 to enhance the reception capabilities of theantennas 18A-18M. As will be understood, the processing applied at thereceiver 16 (as well as at the transmitter 12) may be based on, forexample, the CSI developed by the receiver 16 in response to thetransmission of the test or control signal C_(x1). In particular, acontroller 40 or other unit within the receiver 16, such as a channeldetermination unit 39, may process the received control signal C_(x1)and develop therefrom a measured description of the forward channelbetween the transmitter 12 and the receiver 16 by determining orcharacterizing the propagation effects of the forward channel on thesignal C_(x1) as it traveled through the forward channel. In any event,a symbol demodulator and decoder unit 36, under control of thecontroller 40, may decode and demodulate the received symbol stringsSS₁-SS_(p) as recovered by the matrix equalizer 35. In this process,these signals may be downconverted to baseband. Generally, thedemodulator and decoder unit 36 may operate to remove effects of theforward channel based on the CSI as well as to perform demodulation onthe received symbols in each symbol stream SS₁-SS_(p) to produce adigital bit stream for each stream. In some cases, if desired, thesymbol demodulator and decoder unit 36 may perform error correctiondecoding and deinterleaving on the bit stream to produce the receivedsignals R_(x1)-R_(xn) corresponding to the originally transmittedsignals T_(x1)-T_(xn).

As shown in FIG. 1, the receiver 16 may also include a memory 41 and asymbol encoder and modulator unit 46 which may receive one or moresignals T_(R1)-T_(Rm) encoded and modulated using any desired encodingand modulation techniques. The receiver 16 may also provide one or moreknown test or control signals C_(R1) to the symbol encoder/modulatorunit 46 to be sent to the transmitter 12 to enable the transmitter 12 todetermine a measured description of the reverse channel between thereceiver 16 and the transmitter 12. The encoded and modulated symbolstream may then be upconverted and processed by a spatial spreadingblock 34 which may use a spatial spreading matrix developed according tothe principles described herein based on the number of symbol streams tobe sent simultaneously, the number of receiver and/or transmitter chainsto be used, and the number of transmission antennas 18 to be used. Theoutput of the spatial spreading block 34 is then transmitted via thereceiver antennas 18A-18N to, for example, the transmitter 12, therebyimplementing the reverse link. By implementing the reverse link, thereceiver 16 is able to compute not only receiving antenna selection (RxASEL), but also transmission antenna selection (Tx ASEL) or jointtransmission/receiving antenna selection (TX/Rx ASEL). For Tx ASELand/or Tx/Rx ASEL operations, the receiver 16 may either feed back thechannel state information or compute antenna selection and feed back theselected antenna information in a subsequent transmit opportunity. Asshown in FIG. 1, each of the receiver components may be disposed in ahousing 51.

The matrix equalizer 25 and the demodulator/decoder unit 26 within thetransmitter 12 operate similarly to the matrix equalizer 35 and thedemodulator/decoder unit 36 of the receiver 16 to demodulate and decodethe symbol streams transmitted by the receiver 16 to produce therecovered signals R_(R1)-R_(Rm). Here again, the matrix equalizer 25 mayprocess the received signals in any known manner to enhance theseparation and therefore the reception of the various symbol streamstransmitted by the antennas 18A-18M. Of course, the CSI or othermeasured description of the forward channel for the various OFDMchannel(s) may be used to process or decode the received signals.

As indicated above, it is desirable to account for the spatial spreadingmatrix when selecting antennas for transmitting and/or receiving thedata transmissions. Typically, when transmitting data between one ormore of the transmission antennas 14A-14N and one or more of thereceiving antennas 18A-18M in a MIMO transmission system 10, the data istransmitted along one or more receive chains at the receiver, N_(R), andone or more transmitting chains at the transmitter, N_(T). In aMIMO-OFDM system, this could be a channel on one subcarrier of thesystem. Whether in a MIMO or MIMO-OFDM system, or any of number of othertypes of systems utilizing antenna selection and encoded spatial datastreams for that matter, the data streams in the chain-to-chaintransmission go through a channel matrix, H. The channel matrix, H, isdefined as the full MIMO channel between the transmission antennas14A-14N and the receiving channels 18A-18M (i.e., a full-dimensionalchannel matrix) which describes the full-dimensions of the channelbetween the stations 12, 16. As such, the channel matrix, H, has a rowdimension corresponding to the number of receiving antennas, M_(R), anda column dimension corresponding to the number of transmission antennas,M_(T), thereby creating an M_(R)×M_(T) matrix. Although referred toherein as the channel matrix, H, it should be understood that thetransmitter 12 and receiver 16 may actually use an estimate of thechannel matrix, H, based on, for example, sounding information and/orthe CSI. Accordingly, as used herein, it should be understood that thechannel matrix, H, as used by the transmitter 12 and receiver 16 may bean estimate of the channel matrix, H, as sometimes referred to herein.

Where the number of receive chains, N_(R), is less than the number ofreceiving antennas, M_(R), and/or the number of transmit chains, N_(T),is less than the number of transmission antennas, M_(T), the actualmatrix channel is a sub-matrix, H_(S), of the full-dimensional channelmatrix, H. Because the channel coefficients corresponding to thedifferent antennas are different, it is important to select theappropriate antennas to transmit and/or receive the transmission. Asindicated above, when the number of antennas are larger than the numberof chains, the antenna selection is artificial when appropriate antennaselection is not used. Selection of appropriate or most optimal antennasubsets of the available antennas allows for the selection of a subsetof available antennas matched to the number of chains, thereby achievinghigh channel gain. Transmission from the transmitter 12 (Station A) tothe receiver 16 (Station B) can be modeled as:y=H _(S) x+n  (Equ. 1)where y and n are the received signal vector and additive noise vectorat Station B, respectively; H_(S) is the channel matrix from Station Ato Station B, which is a sub-matrix of the full-size channel matrix, H,between Station A and Station B; and x is the signal vector to betransmitted from Station A.

Antenna selection is conducted based on an estimation of the sub-matrixH_(S). For example, the transmitter 12 (Station A) determines anestimation of H_(S) based on an estimate of the channel from thereceiver 16 (Station B) to Station A, or vice versa. In particular,transmission antenna selection (TX ASEL) is conducted if the number oftransmission antennas, M_(T), is greater than the number of transmitchains, N_(T), and the number of receiving antennas, M_(R), is equal tothe number of receiving chains, N_(R). On the other hand, receivingantenna selection (RX ASEL) is conducted if the number of receivingantennas, M_(R), is greater than the number of receiving chains, N_(R),and the number of transmission antennas, M_(T), is equal to the numberof transmit chains, N_(T). Of course, if both the number of transmissionantennas, M_(T), is greater than the number of transmit chains, N_(T),and the number of receiving antennas, M_(R), is greater than the numberof receiving chains, N_(R), then joint transmitting and receivingantenna selection is conducted (TX/RX ASEL). As is known, for TX ASEL,the antenna selection computation may be directly conducted at thetransmitter 12 or the receiver 16, whereas for RX ASEL, the antennaselection computation is conducted at the receiver 16. As is also known,for joint TX/RX ASEL, the antenna selection may be conducted as thereceiver 16.

Regardless of the antenna selection computation (i.e., whether it is TXASEL, RX ASEL and/or TX/RX ASEL), in order to achieve the desired fullchannel gain, it is important to know the full-dimensional channelmatrix, H. In particular, based on the full-dimensional channel matrix,H, antenna selection may be conducted by selecting the optimal columnsand rows from the full-dimensional channel matrix, H. As is known, thismay be done based on certain optical criterion, such as channelcapacity, substream signal-to-noise ratio, etc. The optimal columns androws may be selected by conducting antenna selection training, wherechannel sounding information is send over different antenna subsetsusing antenna switching. That is, channel sounding information is sentover different subsets of the transmission antennas 14A-14N, where theswitch (not shown) switches between the subsets of transmission antennas14A-14N. Likewise, the sounding information is received over differentsubsets of the receiving antennas 18A-18M, where the switch (not shown)switches between the subsets of the receiving antennas 18A-18M. Forexample, in selecting transmission antennas 14A-14N where M_(T)=2N_(T),the full-dimensional channel matrix, H, is equal to the set [H1 H2],where H1 and H2 are the sub-channels with a number of transmissionantennas equal to the number of transmit chains, N_(T) (e.g., H1 is thechannel from the first N_(T) transmission antennas, and H2 is thechannel from the second N_(T) transmission antennas). An example ofantenna switching is described in the 802.11n standard and need not bedescribed further herein.

When mapping the one or more encoded spatial data streams of symbolsSS₁, SS₂, . . . SS_(p), to the transmit chains N_(T), a spatialspreading (or mapping) matrix, Q, is applied. In this instance, thespatial spreading matrix, Q, is the full-dimensional channel spatialspreading matrix having a row component equal to the number of transmitchains, N_(T), and a column component also equal to the number oftransmit chains, N_(T), thereby forming an N_(T)×N_(T) matrix. Theresulting channel estimation used by the receiver 16 is described as:H1′=H1Q,H2′=H2Q, . . . ,  (Equ. 2)An example of the full-dimensional spatial spreading matrix, Q, isdefined in the IEEE 802.11n standard.

In order for Station B to know the chain-to-chain channels, Station Bremoves Q and is able to derive H. For example, if the full-dimensionalchannel spatial spreading matrix Q is an orthogonal matrix, Station Bmay derive H by applying the transpose conjugate of the matrix, Q,(i.e., Q^(H)), such that in the above example:H=[H1′Q ^(H) ,H2′Q ^(H)]  (Equ. 3)

Generally speaking, the full-dimensional spatial spreading matrix, Q, isknown by the transmitter 12 (Station A) when conducting antennaselection, because the transmitter applies the full-dimensional spatialspreading matrix, Q, to the transmission in order to map the encodedspatial data streams to the transmit chains. However, because Q alsoneeds to be known by the receiver 16 (Station B) in order to estimatethe sub-matrix channel, H_(S), Q is predefined, so that the receiver 16may remove the full-dimensional spatial spreading matrix, Q, and derivean estimate of the full-dimensional channel matrix, H, and, in turn,derive the sub-matrix channel, H_(S), based on previous antennaselection training. That is, Station B is able to determine anestimation of H_(S) based on an estimate of the full-dimensional channelmatrix, H, from Station A to Station B.

However, as also indicated above, in actual data transmission of encodedspatial data streams, the number of spatial data streams, N_(SS), may beless than the number of transmit chains, N_(T), because it is desirableto transmit all signals from all available transmit chains in order tomaximize the channel gain. In such a case, the spatial mapping of thespatial data streams to the transmit chains is performed by applying aspatial spreading matrix, Q_(d), before transmitting the data and afterantenna selection, rather than applying the full-dimensional spatialspreading matrix, Q. The spatial spreading matrix, Q_(d), has a rowdimension corresponding to the number of transmit chains, N_(T), and acolumn dimension corresponding to the number of spatial data streams,N_(SS), thereby creating an N_(T)×N_(SS) matrix.

Consequently, antenna selection during training is based on thefull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix, Q, whereas the actualoperation of transmitting the spatial data streams is based on thespatial spreading matrix, Q_(d). While Q_(d) may be any arbitrary matrixdesigned by, and therefore known to, the transmitter 12, Q_(d) isunknown to the receiver 16, which bases its antenna selection on thefull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix, Q. As a result, withoutknowledge of Q_(d), the previously performed antenna selectioncomputation is not accurate.

Typically, Q_(d) is not an identity matrix, because in the above casesome of the N_(T)-N_(SS) transmit chains will be switched off and thetransmission power level will be reduced. That is, the N_(T) transmitchains are connected by the previously selected transmission antennas.If Q_(d) is an identify matrix, then Q_(d) does not need to be known andis essentially equal to nothing. Further, Q_(d) is applicable when thenumber of spatial data streams, N_(ss) is less than the minimum of thetransmit chains, N_(T), and the receiving chains, N_(R) (i.e.,N_(SS)<min(N_(T), N_(R))). If the number of spatial data streams isequal to the minimum of the transmit chains, N_(T), and the receivingchains, N_(R) (i.e., N_(SS)=min(N_(T), N_(R))), then the number ofspatial data streams is equal to the upper limits of the MIMO channel,because the number of spatial data streams reaches the saturation pointof the actual matrix channel, H_(S), which is an N_(R)×N_(T) matrix.That is, in such a channel matrix, the maximum number of spatial datastreams that can be transmitted is the minimum of N_(T), N_(R).

In order to obtain accurate antenna selection computation when thenumber of spatial data streams, N_(SS), is less than the minimum of thetransmit chains, N_(T), and the receiving chains, N_(R), the spatialmapping matrix, Q_(d), used to map the spatial data streams to thetransmit chains is used for antenna selection training at thetransmitter 12 and/or receiver 16. That is, antenna selectioncomputation accounts for Q_(d). Further, in order for the receiver 16 toaccurately select receiving antennas, Q_(d) is predefined and known bythe receiver 16. In one example described further below, Q_(d) may bepredefined as part of the wireless protocol utilized by the transmitter12 and receiver 16, such as the 802.11n standard or subsequent 802.11(x)standards.

When computing the antenna selection based on the spatial mappingmatrix, Q_(d), it is assumed that the station (Station A or B)conducting the antenna selection computation knows that Q_(d) will beapplied at the transmitter 12, in which case the station also knows thenumber of spatial data streams, N_(SS). As indicated above, if thenumber of spatial data streams is equal to the minimum of the transmitchains, N_(T), and the receiving chains, N_(R), then antenna selectionmay be conducted using conventional techniques. The antenna selectionexample described below is based on the situation where the number ofspatial data streams is less than the minimum of the transmit chains,N_(T), and the receiving chains, N_(R), in which case the antennaselection accounts for the spatial spreading matrix, Q_(d).

Beginning with the full-dimensional channel matrix, H, the stationconducting the antenna selection searches over all differentcombinations of sub-matrices, H_(S), of size N_(R)×N_(T) within thefull-dimensional channel matrix, H. Each different combination of H_(S)is denoted as H1, H2, . . . , Hk, where k is the number of all possiblesub-matrices of size N_(R)×N_(T) within the full-dimensional channelmatrix, H.

Optionally, each of the sub-matrices may be right-multiplied by thespatial spreading matrix, Q_(d), to form channel estimation sub-matricescorresponding to each of the sub-matrices H1-Hk. For example, thechannel estimation sub-matrices may be denoted as:H1′=H1Q _(d) ,H2′=H2Q _(d) , . . . ,Hk′=HkQ _(d)  (Equ. 4)However, when antenna selection channel training is over all possiblesub-matrices of the full-dimensional channel matrix, H, and when thespatial spreading matrix, Q_(d), is the first set of columns in thefull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix, Q, corresponding to thenumber of spatial data streams, N_(SS), (i.e., the first N_(SS) columnsof Q), then right-multiplying with Q_(d) is not needed in order todetermine the full-dimensional channel matrix, H, and antenna selectioncomputation may be conducted directly.

Whether or not each sub-matrix is multiplied by Q_(d), the best channelsub-matrix is selected based on certain criteria, such as a set ofoptimality criterion (e.g., channel capacity, substream signal-to-noiseratio, etc.) which may be the same as that used to determine thefull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix, Q, as indicated above. Thatis:

$\begin{matrix}{k_{opt} = {\underset{k}{\arg\mspace{14mu}\max}\left( C_{H_{k}} \right)}} & \left( {{Equ}.\mspace{14mu} 5} \right)\end{matrix}$where the selected channel sub-matrix is H_(S)=H_(k) _(opt) (i.e., themaximum of the selected optimality criterion).

In one example, selecting one of the channel estimation sub-matrices,H1′-Hk′ may include developing a steering matrix for each channelestimation sub-matrix and applying each steering matrix to thecorresponding channel estimation sub-matrix. Once the steering matrixhas been applied, the spatial spreading matrix, Q_(d), is applied toeach channel estimation sub-matrix. In particular with transmitterantenna selection computation, the transmitter should apply advancedschemes, such as beamforming and steering matrix application, beforeapplying the spatial spreading matrix, Q_(d), to each channel estimationsub-matrix. This is because the nature of such schemes tend to changethe spatial mapping, and when the transmitter changes the spatialmapping (i.e., changes Q_(d)), antenna selection performance gain maysuffer due to the previous antenna selection results no longer beingaccurate or applicable to the new Q_(d).

Once the spatial spreading matrix has been applied to each channelsub-matrix, the test signals are transmitted from Station A to Station Busing the test steering matrices and the spatial spreading matrix. Fromthese transmissions, a quality factor may be determined for each of thetest signals and returned back from the receiver 16 to the transmitter12. Using the quality factors, the optimal channel estimation sub-matrixmay be selected, and the antennas corresponding to the selected channelestimation sub-matrix may be selected.

As a result of the above antenna selection computation, all possiblesub-matrices within the full-dimensional channel matrix, H, are trained.This means that all possible combinations of antennas are trained usingthe spatial spreading matrix, Q_(d). As will be understood, there may bedifferent ways to account for Q_(d) during antenna selectioncomputation, of which the above is only an example. As will also beunderstood, the above antenna selection computation may be applied totransmission antenna selection at the transmitter 12, transmissionantenna selection at the receiver 16, receiver antenna selection as thereceiver 16 and joint transmission/receiving antenna selection at eitherthe transmitter 12 or receiver 16.

As indicated above, antenna selection computation may always beconducted at the transmitter 12 with the spatial spreading matrix,Q_(d), known, given that the transmitter 12 applies the spatialspreading matrix to map the spatial data streams to the transmit chains.However, where antenna selection computation is conducted at thereceiver 16, the spatial spreading matrix, Q_(d), along with thefull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix, Q, should be pre-defined,preferably in the communication standard being used between thetransmitter 12 and receiver 16 (e.g., IEEE 802.11n). If the spatialspreading matrix, Q_(d), is predefined for the receiver 16, the receiver16 is able to conduct antenna selection computation based on thefull-dimensional channel matrix, H, and based on Q_(d).

Accordingly, it is preferred to have the spatial spreading matrix equalto the first set of column of the full-dimensional spatial spreadingmatrix, Q, corresponding to the number of spatial data streams, N_(SS).That is, Q_(d) is the first N_(SS) column of Q:Q _(d) =Q(:,1:N _(SS))  (Equ. 5)

As such, in order to achieve the best performance in the antennaselection, the receiver 16 should compute the antenna selection based onthe assumption that the first N_(SS) columns in the full-dimensionalspatial spreading matrix, Q, will be applied at the transmitter 12 fordata transmission after antenna selection switching. An additionalfactor in achieving the best performance has the transmitter 12 applyingthe first N_(SS) column in the full-dimensional spatial spreadingmatrix, Q for spatial mapping (i.e., Q_(d)) for data transmission afterantenna selection switching.

Some example antenna selection computations and the results thereofusing spatial spreading matrices derived from the above-describedtechniques are provided below for a 4×2 chain system used tosimultaneously send one spatial stream (four receive chains and twotransmit chains in a 4×4 antenna system), a 4×3 chain system used tosimultaneously send two spatial streams (four receive chains and threetransmit chains in a 4×4 antenna system), a 4×3 chain system used tosimultaneously send three spatial streams (four receive chains and threetransmit chains in a 4×4 antenna system), 2×2 chain system used tosimultaneously send one spatial stream (two receive chains and twotransmit chains in a 4×2 antenna system), and a 3×3 chain system used tosimultaneously send two spatial streams (three receive chains and threetransmit chains in a 4×3 antenna system), all with a signal-to-noiseratio of 20 dB, a Rayleigh fading channel and 10000 simulated samples.In corresponding FIGS. 2A-2E, the channel strengths or channel capacity(as indicated) of the equivalent channel estimation matrix are plottedwith respect to the cumulative density function (CDF) of thepost-processing channel gain at the receiver corresponding to differentantenna selection strategies. Channel capacity is plotted in someinstances, because channel capacity is a better indicator of qualitythan channel strength. The probability that y is smaller than x isprovided as:f _(y)(x)=Pr[y≦x]  (Equ. 6)where y is a random variable. The CDF curves on the right of the plotsshown in FIGS. 2A-2E imply a higher possible realization of the randomvariable (i.e., higher post-processing channel gain). In the examples,the full-dimensional spatial spreading matrix, Q, is orthogonal forpurposes of the examples only. In particular, an orthogonal matrix iseasy to remove by multiplying the transpose conjugate of the matrix toobtain the identity matrix, rather than performing matrix inversion,though it should be understood that the full-dimensional spatialspreading matrix, Q, need not be orthogonal in all instances.

Referring to FIG. 2A, the number of receive chains, N_(R), is equal tothe number of receiving antennas, M_(R), (i.e., M_(R)=N_(R)=4), thenumber of transmit chains, N_(T), is less than the number oftransmission antennas, M_(T), (i.e., M_(T)=4, N_(T)=2), and the numberof spatial data streams, N_(SS), is two, thereby resulting in a 2/4transmitter antenna selection. In this case a full-dimensional spatialspreading matrix, Q, is provided as:

$Q = {\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\begin{bmatrix}1 & 1 \\1 & {- 1}\end{bmatrix}}$With N_(SS)=1, N_(SS)<min(N_(T), N_(R)):

$Q_{d} = {\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\begin{bmatrix}1 \\1\end{bmatrix}}$As seen from FIG. 2A, no antenna selection, denoted by the straight lineplot, results in the least amount of gain, whereas antenna selectionbased on the full-dimensional spatial spreading matrix, Q, and thefull-dimensional channel matrix, H, denoted by the circle line plot, hasa limited gain as compared to no antenna selection, and the most optimalantenna selection based on the spatial spreading matrix, Q_(d), and thechannel sub-matrix, H_(S), denoted by the square line plot, results inthe best gain.

Referring to FIG. 2B, M_(R)=N_(R)=4, M_(T)=4, N_(T)=3, and N_(SS)=2,thereby resulting in a 3/4 transmitter antenna selection. In this case afull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix, Q, is provided as:

$Q = {\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}\begin{bmatrix}1 & 1 & 1 \\1 & {\mathbb{e}}^{j\; 2\pi\text{/}3} & {\mathbb{e}}^{j\; 4\pi\text{/}3} \\1 & {\mathbb{e}}^{j\; 4\pi\text{/}3} & {\mathbb{e}}^{j\; 2\pi\text{/}3}\end{bmatrix}}$With N_(SS)=2, N_(SS)<min(N_(T), N_(R)),

$Q_{d} = {\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}\begin{bmatrix}1 & 1 \\1 & {\mathbb{e}}^{j\; 2\pi\text{/}3} \\1 & {\mathbb{e}}^{j\; 4\pi\text{/}3}\end{bmatrix}}$As seen from FIG. 2B, again no antenna selection results in the leastamount of gain, whereas antenna selection based on the full-dimensionalspatial spreading matrix, Q, and full-dimensional channel matrix, H, hasa limited gain as compared to no antenna selection, and the most optimalantenna selection based on the spatial spreading matrix, Q_(d), and thechannel sub-matrix, H_(S), results in the best gain.

Referring to FIG. 2C, M_(R)=N_(R)=4, M_(T)=4, N_(T)=3, and N_(SS)=3,thereby resulting in a 3/4 transmitter antenna selection. In this case afull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix, Q, is provided as:

$Q = {\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}\begin{bmatrix}1 & 1 & 1 \\1 & {\mathbb{e}}^{j\; 2\pi\text{/}3} & {\mathbb{e}}^{j\; 4\pi\text{/}3} \\1 & {\mathbb{e}}^{j\; 4\pi\text{/}3} & {\mathbb{e}}^{j\; 2\pi\text{/}3}\end{bmatrix}}$With N_(SS)=3, N_(SS)=min(N_(T), N_(R)), so Q_(d)=Q, because the numberof spatial data streams is equal to the upper limit of the MIMO channel.That is, the actual MIMO channel after antenna selection is 3×4, so themost spatial data streams that can be transmitted is three. As seen fromFIG. 2C, no antenna selection results in the least amount of gain,whereas antenna selection based on the full-dimensional spatialspreading matrix, Q, and full-dimensional channel matrix, H, has thesame performance as the most optimal antenna selection based on thespatial spreading matrix, Q_(d), and the channel sub-matrix, H_(S),because Q=Q_(d).

Referring to FIG. 2D, M_(R)=4, N_(R)=2, M_(T)=N_(T)=2, and N_(SS)=1,thereby resulting in a 2/4 receiver antenna selection. In this case afull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix, Q, is provided as:

$Q = {\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\begin{bmatrix}1 & 1 \\1 & {- 1}\end{bmatrix}}$With N_(SS)=1, N_(SS)<min(N_(T), N_(R)):

$Q_{d} = {\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\begin{bmatrix}1 \\1\end{bmatrix}}$As seen from FIG. 2D, no antenna selection results in the least amountof gain, whereas antenna selection based on the full-dimensional spatialspreading matrix, Q, and full-dimensional channel matrix, H, has alimited gain as compared to no antenna selection, and the most optimalantenna selection based on the spatial spreading matrix, Q_(d), and thechannel sub-matrix, H_(S), still results in the best gain.

Referring to FIG. 2E, M_(R)=4, N_(R)=3, M_(T)=N_(T)=3, and N_(SS)=2,thereby resulting in a 3/4 receiver antenna selection. In this case afull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix, Q, is provided as:

$Q = {\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}\begin{bmatrix}1 & 1 & 1 \\1 & {\mathbb{e}}^{j\; 2\pi\text{/}3} & {\mathbb{e}}^{j\; 4\pi\text{/}3} \\1 & {\mathbb{e}}^{j\; 4\pi\text{/}3} & {\mathbb{e}}^{j\; 2\pi\text{/}3}\end{bmatrix}}$With N_(SS)=2, N_(SS)<min(N_(T), N_(R)),

$Q_{d} = {\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}\begin{bmatrix}1 & 1 \\1 & {\mathbb{e}}^{j\; 2\pi\text{/}3} \\1 & {\mathbb{e}}^{j\; 4\pi\text{/}3}\end{bmatrix}}$As seen from FIG. 2E, once again no antenna selection results in theleast amount of gain, antenna selection based on the full-dimensionalspatial spreading matrix, Q, and full-dimensional channel matrix, H, hasa limited gain, and the most optimal antenna selection based on thespatial spreading matrix, Q_(d), and the channel sub-matrix, H_(S),results in the best gain.

As will be understood, the manner in which the spatial spreading matrix,Q_(d), is calculated or determined is not particularly important. Thus,any mathematical, heuristic, iterative, or trial and error method can beused to actually determine or compute any particular size of spatialspreading matrix, and the method used to compute a spatial spreadingmatrix is not determinative. Moreover, the specific orientation ordefinition of the “row” and “column” dimensions of a matrix as usedherein is arbitrary and is simply based on convention, and therefore maybe changed. Thus, for example, the row dimension can be a horizontaldimension with the column dimension being a vertical dimension (asassumed herein), or the row dimension can be a vertical dimension withthe column dimension being a horizontal dimension.

Moreover, it will be understood that the actual spatial spreading matrixequations, e.g., the computation of a particular spatial spreadingmatrix that satisfies the constraints defined above, may be performed atany desired location within the wireless communication system 10 of FIG.1, including within the controller 20 or other hardware, software, orfirmware of the transmitter 12, as well as within the controller 40 orother hardware, software, or firmware of the receiver 16. Alternatively,the spatial spreading matrix may be pre-computed and stored in thememory 21 (or 41) or other memory of the system 10 prior to thetransmission system being used. The spatial spreading matrix or matricesmay also be computed or determine by a different device and may be sentto the transmitter 12 or the receiver 14 of the transmission system 10at any desired time.

Of course, the spatial spreading matrix technique described herein isnot limited to being used in a transmitter of a MIMO communicationsystem communicating with a single receiver of the MIMO communicationsystem, but can additionally be applied when a transmitter of a MIMOcommunication system is communicating with multiple receivers, each ofwhich has one or more receiver antennas associated therewith.

While the spatial spreading matrix calculations described herein aredescribed in one example as being implemented in software stored in, forexample, one of the memories 21, 41 and implemented on a processorassociated with one of the controllers 20, 40, or with the spatialspreading matrix calculation unit 28 of the MIMO communication system 10of FIG. 1, these routines may alternatively or additionally beimplemented in digital or analog hardware, firmware, applicationspecific integrated circuits, etc., as desired. If implemented insoftware, the routines may be stored in any computer readable memorysuch as in RAM, ROM, flash memory, a magnetic disk, a laser disk, orother storage medium. Likewise, this software may be delivered to a MIMOsystem device (such as a transmitter or a receiver) via any known ordesired delivery method including, for example, over a communicationchannel such as a telephone line, the Internet, a wireless connection,etc., or via a transportable medium, such as a computer-readable disk,flash drive, etc.

The above antenna selection and training techniques may be embodied inany type of wireless communication system including, for example, onesused in wireless computer systems such as those implemented via a localarea network or a wide area network, internet, cable and satellite basedcommunication systems (such as internet, data, video and voicecommunication systems), wireless telephone systems (including cellularphone systems, voice over internet protocol (VoIP) systems, home-basedwireless telephone systems, etc.) Referring now to FIGS. 3A-3H, variousexemplary implementations of the antenna selection and trainingtechniques are shown.

Referring to FIG. 3A, the antenna selection and training techniques maybe used with a hard disk drive 400 which includes both signal processingand/or control circuits, which are generally identified in FIG. 3A at402. In some implementations, signal processing and/or control circuit402 and/or other circuits (not shown) in HDD 400 may process data,perform coding and/or encryption, perform calculations, and/or formatdata that is output to and/or received from a magnetic storage medium406.

HDD 400 may communicate with a host device (not shown) such as acomputer, mobile computing devices such as personal digital assistants,cellular phones, media or MP3 players and the like, and/or other devicesvia one or more wired or wireless communication links 408 which mayimplement the antenna selection and training techniques described above.HDD 400 may be connected to memory 409, such as a random access memory(RAM), a low latency nonvolatile memory such as flash memory, read onlymemory (ROM) and/or other suitable electronic data storage.

Referring now to FIG. 3B, the antenna selection and training techniquesmay be embodied in or used with a digital versatile disc (DVD) drive 410which may include either or both signal processing and/or controlcircuits, which are generally identified in FIG. 3B at 412, and/or massdata storage 418 of DVD drive 410. Signal processing and/or controlcircuit 412 and/or other circuits (not shown) in DVD 410 may processdata, perform coding and/or encryption, perform calculations, and/orformat data that is read from and/or data written to an optical storagemedium 416. In some implementations, signal processing and/or controlcircuit 412 and/or other circuits (not shown) in DVD 410 can alsoperform other functions such as encoding and/or decoding and/or anyother signal processing functions associated with a DVD drive.

DVD drive 410 may communicate with an output device (not shown) such asa computer, television or other device via one or more wired or wirelesscommunication links 417 which may be implemented using the antennaselection and training techniques described above. DVD 410 maycommunicate with mass data storage 418 that stores data in a nonvolatilemanner. Mass data storage 418 may include a hard disk drive (HDD) suchas that shown in FIG. 3A. The HDD may be a mini HDD that includes one ormore platters having a diameter that is smaller than approximately 1.8″.DVD 410 may be connected to memory 419, such as RAM, ROM, low latencynonvolatile memory such as flash memory, and/or other suitableelectronic data storage.

Referring now to FIG. 3C, the antenna selection and training techniquesmay be embodied in a high definition television (HDTV) 420 which mayinclude either or both signal processing and/or control circuits, whichare generally identified in FIG. 3C at 422, a WLAN interface and/or massdata storage of the HDTV 420. HDTV 420 receives HDTV input signals ineither a wired or wireless format and generates HDTV output signals fora display 426. In some implementations, signal processing circuit and/orcontrol circuit 422 and/or other circuits (not shown) of HDTV 420 mayprocess data, perform coding and/or encryption, perform calculations,format data and/or perform any other type of HDTV processing that may berequired.

HDTV 420 may communicate with mass data storage 427 that stores data ina nonvolatile manner such as optical and/or magnetic storage devices. Atleast one HDD may have the configuration shown in FIG. 3A and/or atleast one DVD may have the configuration shown in FIG. 3B. The HDD maybe a mini HDD that includes one or more platters having a diameter thatis smaller than approximately 1.8″. HDTV 420 may be connected to memory428 such as RAM, ROM, low latency nonvolatile memory such as flashmemory and/or other suitable electronic data storage. HDTV 420 also maysupport connections with a WLAN via a WLAN network interface 429 whichmay implement the beamforming techniques described above.

Referring now to FIG. 3D, the antenna selection and training techniquesmay be used in conjunction with a control system of a vehicle 430 havinga WLAN interface and/or mass data storage. In some implementations, theantenna selection and training techniques may be used within apowertrain control system 432 that receives inputs from one or moresensors such as temperature sensors, pressure sensors, rotationalsensors, airflow sensors and/or any other suitable sensors and/or thatgenerates one or more output control signals such as engine operatingparameters, transmission operating parameters, and/or other controlsignals.

The antenna selection and training techniques may also be embodied inother control systems 440 of vehicle 430. Control system 440 maylikewise receive signals from input sensors 442 and/or output controlsignals to one or more output devices 444. In some implementations,control system 440 may be part of an anti-lock braking system (ABS), anavigation system, a telematics system, a vehicle telematics system, alane departure system, an adaptive cruise control system, a vehicleentertainment system such as a stereo, DVD, compact disc and the like.Still other implementations are contemplated.

Powertrain control system 432 may communicate with mass data storage 446that stores data in a nonvolatile manner. Mass data storage 446 mayinclude optical and/or magnetic storage devices for example hard diskdrives HDD and/or DVDs. At least one HDD may have the configurationshown in FIG. 3A and/or at least one DVD may have the configurationshown in FIG. 3B. The HDD may be a mini HDD that includes one or moreplatters having a diameter that is smaller than approximately 1.8″.Powertrain control system 432 may be connected to memory 447 such asRAM, ROM, low latency nonvolatile memory such as flash memory and/orother suitable electronic data storage. Powertrain control system 432also may support connections with a WLAN via a WLAN network interface448 which may implement the antenna selection and training techniquesdescribed above. The control system 440 may also include mass datastorage, memory and/or a WLAN interface (all not shown).

Referring now to FIG. 3E, the antenna selection and training techniquesmay be embodied in a cellular phone 450 that may include one or morecellular antennas 451, either or both signal processing and/or controlcircuits, which are generally identified in FIG. 3E at 452, a WLANinterface and/or mass data storage of the cellular phone 450. In someimplementations, cellular phone 450 includes a microphone 456, an audiooutput 458 such as a speaker and/or audio output jack, a display 460and/or an input device 462 such as a keypad, pointing device, voiceactuation and/or other input device. Signal processing and/or controlcircuits 452 and/or other circuits (not shown) in cellular phone 450 mayprocess data, perform coding and/or encryption, perform calculations,format data and/or perform other cellular phone functions.

Cellular phone 450 may communicate with mass data storage 464 thatstores data in a nonvolatile manner such as optical and/or magneticstorage devices for example hard disk drives HDD and/or DVDs. At leastone HDD may have the configuration shown in FIG. 3A and/or at least oneDVD may have the configuration shown in FIG. 3B. The HDD may be a miniHDD that includes one or more platters having a diameter that is smallerthan approximately 1.8″. Cellular phone 450 may be connected to memory466 such as RAM, ROM, low latency nonvolatile memory such as flashmemory and/or other suitable electronic data storage. Cellular phone 450also may support connections with a WLAN via a WLAN network interface468.

Referring now to FIG. 3F, the antenna selection and training techniquesmay be embodied in a set top box 480 including either or both signalprocessing and/or control circuits, which are generally identified inFIG. 3F at 484, a WLAN interface and/or mass data storage of the set topbox 480. Set top box 480 receives signals from a source such as abroadband source and outputs standard and/or high definition audio/videosignals suitable for a display 488 such as a television and/or monitorand/or other video and/or audio output devices. Signal processing and/orcontrol circuits 484 and/or other circuits (not shown) of the set topbox 480 may process data, perform coding and/or encryption, performcalculations, format data and/or perform any other set top box function.

Set top box 480 may communicate with mass data storage 490 that storesdata in a nonvolatile manner. Mass data storage 490 may include opticaland/or magnetic storage devices for example hard disk drives HDD and/orDVDs. At least one HDD may have the configuration shown in FIG. 3Aand/or at least one DVD may have the configuration shown in FIG. 3B. TheHDD may be a mini HDD that includes one or more platters having adiameter that is smaller than approximately 1.8″. Set top box 480 may beconnected to memory 494 such as RAM, ROM, low latency nonvolatile memorysuch as flash memory and/or other suitable electronic data storage. Settop box 480 also may support connections with a WLAN via a WLAN networkinterface 496 which may implement the antenna selection and trainingtechniques described herein.

Referring now to FIG. 3G, the antenna selection and training techniquesmay be embodied in a media player 500. The antenna selection andtraining techniques may implement either or both signal processingand/or control circuits, which are generally identified in FIG. 3G at504, a WLAN interface and/or mass data storage of the media player 500.In some implementations, media player 500 includes a display 507 and/ora user input 508 such as a keypad, touchpad and the like. In someimplementations, media player 500 may employ a graphical user interface(GUI) that typically employs menus, drop down menus, icons and/or apoint-and-click interface via display 507 and/or user input 508. Mediaplayer 500 further includes an audio output 509 such as a speaker and/oraudio output jack. Signal processing and/or control circuits 504 and/orother circuits (not shown) of media player 500 may process data, performcoding and/or encryption, perform calculations, format data and/orperform any other media player function.

Media player 500 may communicate with mass data storage 510 that storesdata such as compressed audio and/or video content in a nonvolatilemanner. In some implementations, the compressed audio files includefiles that are compliant with MP3 format or other suitable compressedaudio and/or video formats. The mass data storage may include opticaland/or magnetic storage devices for example hard disk drives HDD and/orDVDs. At least one HDD may have the configuration shown in FIG. 3Aand/or at least one DVD may have the configuration shown in FIG. 3B. TheHDD may be a mini HDD that includes one or more platters having adiameter that is smaller than approximately 1.8″. Media player 500 maybe connected to memory 514 such as RAM, ROM, low latency nonvolatilememory such as flash memory and/or other suitable electronic datastorage. Media player 500 also may support connections with a WLAN via aWLAN network interface 516 which may implement the antenna selection andtraining techniques described herein. Still other implementations inaddition to those described above are contemplated.

Referring to FIG. 3H, the antenna selection and training techniques maybe embodied in a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone 600 that mayinclude one or more antennas 618, either or both signal processingand/or control circuits, which are generally identified in FIG. 3H at604, and a wireless interface and/or mass data storage of the VoIP phone600. In some implementations, VoIP phone 600 includes, in part, amicrophone 610, an audio output 612 such as a speaker and/or audiooutput jack, a display monitor 614, an input device 616 such as akeypad, pointing device, voice actuation and/or other input devices, anda Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) communication module 608. Signal processingand/or control circuits 604 and/or other circuits (not shown) in VoIPphone 600 may process data, perform coding and/or encryption, performcalculations, format data and/or perform other VoIP phone functions.

VoIP phone 600 may communicate with mass data storage 602 that storesdata in a nonvolatile manner such as optical and/or magnetic storagedevices, for example hard disk drives HDD and/or DVDs. At least one HDDmay have the configuration shown in FIG. 3A and/or at least one DVD mayhave the configuration shown in FIG. 3B. The HDD may be a mini HDD thatincludes one or more platters having a diameter that is smaller thanapproximately 1.8″. VoIP phone 600 may be connected to memory 606, whichmay be a RAM, ROM, low latency nonvolatile memory such as flash memoryand/or other suitable electronic data storage. VoIP phone 600 isconfigured to establish communications link with a VoIP network (notshown) via Wi-Fi communication module 608 which may implement theantenna selection and training techniques described herein.

Moreover, while the antenna selection and training techniques has beendescribed with reference to specific examples, which are intended to beillustrative only and not to be limiting of the invention, it will beapparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that changes, additionsand/or deletions may be made to the disclosed embodiments withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: receiving, at a firstcommunication device, channel sounding information during an antennaselection training procedure, wherein (i) the first communication devicehas a number, N_(R), of receiving chains, and (ii) the channel soundinginformation either (a) was transmitted using different subsets of a setof transmission antennas of a second communication device, or (b) isreceived using different subsets of a set of receiving antennas of thefirst communication device; performing, at the first communicationdevice, antenna selection computations that (i) use the channel soundinginformation received during the antenna selection training procedure,(ii) assume that the second communication device uses a first N_(ss)columns of a full-dimensional spatial spreading matrix to transmit thechannel sounding information during the antenna selection trainingprocedure, and (iii) accounts for the use, by the second communicationdevice, of the first N_(ss) columns of the full-dimensional spatialspreading matrix when transmitting N_(ss) spatial streams; and one of(i) (a) generating, at the first communication device, antenna selectionfeedback using the antenna selection computations, and (b) transmitting,from the first communication device to the second communication device,the antenna selection feedback, or (ii) selecting, at the firstcommunication device, a subset of the set of receiving antennas of thefirst communication device using the antenna selection computations,wherein the full-dimensional channel spatial spreading matrix hascomponents associated with i) a row dimension having a number of rowsequal to a number, N_(T), of transmission chains to be used by thesecond communication device to transmit spatial data streams, and ii) acolumn dimension having a number of columns equal to N_(T), whereinN_(R), N_(ss) and N_(T) are positive integers, and wherein N_(ss) isless than both N_(T) and N_(R).
 2. The method of claim 1, whereinperforming the antenna selection computations comprises: determining aplurality of channel estimation sub-matrices corresponding to amultiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) channel having N_(T) transmissionchains and N_(R) receiving chains; applying the first N_(ss) columns ofthe full-dimensional spatial spreading matrix to each of the channelestimation sub-matrices to form channel estimation sub-matrices thataccount for use of the first N_(ss) columns of the full-dimensionalspatial spreading matrix; and selecting one of the channel estimationsub-matrices that account for use of the first N_(ss) columns of thefull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix based on an optimalitycriterion, wherein the antenna selection feedback or the selected subsetof the set of receiving antennas corresponds to the selected channelestimation sub-matrix.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining theplurality of channel estimation sub-matrices corresponding to the MIMOchannel comprises: searching channel estimation sub-matrices within afull-dimensional channel estimation matrix corresponding to afull-dimensional description of the MIMO channel between the N_(T)transmission chains and the N_(R) receiving chains, wherein thefull-dimensional channel estimation matrix has components associatedwith i) a row dimension having a number of rows equal to the number ofreceiving antennas of the first communication device, and ii) a columndimension having a number of columns equal to the number of transmissionantennas of the second communication device, and wherein each channelestimation sub-matrix has components associated with i) a row dimensionhaving a number of rows equal to N_(R) and ii) a column dimension havinga number of columns equal to N_(T), and wherein at least one of i) N_(R)is less than the number of receiving antennas of the first communicationdevice, and ii) N_(T) is less than the number of transmission antennas.4. The method of claim 2, wherein each channel estimation sub-matrixthat accounts for use of the first N_(ss) columns of thefull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix has components associated withi) a row dimension having a number of rows equal to N_(R) and ii) acolumn dimension having a number of columns equal to N_(ss).
 5. Themethod of claim 2, wherein applying the first N_(ss) columns of thefull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix to each of the channelestimation sub-matrices comprises right-multiplying each of the channelestimation sub-matrices with the first N_(ss) columns of thefull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein the first N_(ss) columns of the full-dimensional spatialspreading matrix form a spatial spreading matrix having componentsassociated with i) a row dimension having a number of rows equal toN_(T) and ii) a column dimension having a number of columns equal toN_(ss).
 7. A first communication device, the first communication devicecomprising: a transceiver device having a number, N_(R), of receivingchains, the transceiver device configured to receive channel soundinginformation during an antenna selection training procedure, wherein thechannel sounding information either (a) was transmitted using differentsubsets of a set of transmission antennas of a second communicationdevice, or (b) is received using different subsets of a set of receivingantennas coupled to the transceiver, perform antenna selectioncomputations that (i) use the channel sounding information receivedduring the antenna selection training procedure, (ii) assume that thesecond communication device uses a first N_(ss) columns of afull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix to transmit the channelsounding information during the antenna selection training procedure,and (iii) accounts for the use, by the second communication device, ofthe first N_(ss) columns of the full-dimensional spatial spreadingmatrix when transmitting N_(ss) spatial streams, and one of (i) (a)generate antenna selection feedback using the antenna selectioncomputations, and (b) transmit, to a second communication device, theantenna selection feedback, or (ii) select a subset of the set ofreceiving antennas for use by the first communication device using theantenna selection computations, wherein the full-dimensional channelspatial spreading matrix has components associated with i) a rowdimension having a number of rows equal to a number, N_(T), oftransmission chains to be used by the second communication device totransmit spatial data streams, and ii) a column dimension having anumber of columns equal to N_(T), wherein N_(R), N_(ss) and N_(T) arepositive integers, and wherein N_(ss) is less than both N_(T) and N_(R).8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the transceiver device isconfigured to perform the antenna selection computations at least by:determining a plurality of channel estimation sub-matrices correspondingto a multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) channel having N_(T)transmission chains and N_(R) receiving chains; applying the firstN_(ss) columns of the full-dimensional spatial spreading matrix to eachof the channel estimation sub-matrices to form channel estimationsub-matrices that account for use of the first N_(ss) columns of thefull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix; and selecting one of thechannel estimation sub-matrices that account for use of the first N_(ss)columns of the full-dimensional spatial spreading matrix based on anoptimality criterion, wherein the antenna selection feedback or theselected subset of the set of receiving antennas corresponds to theselected channel estimation sub-matrix.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8,wherein the transceiver device is configured determine the plurality ofchannel estimation sub-matrices corresponding to the MIMO channel atleast by: searching channel estimation sub-matrices within afull-dimensional channel estimation matrix corresponding to afull-dimensional description of the MIMO channel between the N_(T)transmission chains and the N_(R) receiving chains, wherein thefull-dimensional channel estimation matrix has components associatedwith i) a row dimension having a number of rows equal to the number ofreceiving antennas of the first communication device, and ii) a columndimension having a number of columns equal to the number of transmissionantennas of the second communication device, and wherein each channelestimation sub-matrix has components associated with i) a row dimensionhaving a number of rows equal to N_(R) and ii) a column dimension havinga number of columns equal to N_(T), and wherein at least one of i) N_(R)is less than the number of receiving antennas of the first communicationdevice, and ii) N_(T) is less than the number of transmission antennas.10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each channel estimation sub-matrixthat accounts for use of the first N_(ss) columns of thefull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix has components associated withi) a row dimension having a number of rows equal to N_(R) and ii) acolumn dimension having a number of columns equal to N_(ss).
 11. Theapparatus of claim 8, wherein the transceiver device is configured applythe first N_(ss) columns of the full-dimensional spatial spreadingmatrix to each of the channel estimation sub-matrices at least byright-multiplying each of the channel estimation sub-matrices with thefirst N_(ss) columns of the full-dimensional spatial spreading matrix.12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first N_(ss) columns of thefull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix form a spatial spreadingmatrix having components associated with i) a row dimension having anumber of rows equal to N_(T) and ii) a column dimension having a numberof columns equal to N_(ss).
 13. A non-transitory computer readablestorage medium having stored thereon machine readable instructions that,when executed by a processing device of a first communication device,cause the processing device to: perform antenna selection computationsthat (i) use channel sounding information received by the firstcommunication device during an antenna selection training procedure,(ii) assume that a second communication device uses a first N_(ss)columns of a full-dimensional spatial spreading matrix to transmit thechannel sounding information during the antenna selection trainingprocedure, and (iii) accounts for the use, by the second communicationdevice, of the first N_(ss) columns of the full-dimensional spatialspreading matrix when transmitting N_(ss) spatial streams; and one of(i) generate antenna selection feedback using the antenna selectioncomputations, wherein the antenna selection feedback is for transmissionfrom the first communication device to the second communication device,or (ii) select a subset of the set of receiving antennas of the firstcommunication device using the antenna selection computations, wherein(i) the first communication device has a number, N_(R), of receivingchains, and (ii) the channel sounding information either (a) wastransmitted using different subsets of a set of transmission antennas ofthe second communication device, or (b) is received using differentsubsets of a set of receiving antennas of the first communicationdevice, wherein the full-dimensional channel spatial spreading matrixhas components associated with i) a row dimension having a number ofrows equal to a number, N_(T), of transmission chains to be used by thesecond communication device to transmit spatial data streams, and ii) acolumn dimension having a number of columns equal to N_(T), whereinN_(R), N_(ss) and N_(T) are positive integers, and wherein N_(ss) isless than both N_(T) and N_(R).
 14. The non-transitory computer readablestorage medium of claim 13, having stored thereon machine readableinstructions that, when executed by the processing device of the firstcommunication device, cause the processing device to perform the antennaselection computations at least by: determining a plurality of channelestimation sub-matrices corresponding to a multiple-input,multiple-output (MIMO) channel having N_(T) transmission chains andN_(R) receiving chains; applying the first N_(ss) columns of thefull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix to each of the channelestimation sub-matrices to form channel estimation sub-matrices thataccount for use of the first N_(ss) columns of the full-dimensionalspatial spreading matrix; and selecting one of the channel estimationsub-matrices that account for use of the first N_(ss) columns of thefull-dimensional spatial spreading matrix based on an optimalitycriterion, wherein the antenna selection feedback or the selected subsetof the set of receiving antennas corresponds to the selected channelestimation sub-matrix.
 15. The non-transitory computer readable storagemedium of claim 14, having stored thereon machine readable instructionsthat, when executed by the processing device of the first communicationdevice, cause the processing device to determine the plurality ofchannel estimation sub-matrices corresponding to the MIMO channel atleast by: searching channel estimation sub-matrices within afull-dimensional channel estimation matrix corresponding to afull-dimensional description of the MIMO channel between the N_(T)transmission chains and the N_(R) receiving chains, wherein thefull-dimensional channel estimation matrix has components associatedwith i) a row dimension having a number of rows equal to the number ofreceiving antennas of the first communication device, and ii) a columndimension having a number of columns equal to the number of transmissionantennas of the second communication device, and wherein each channelestimation sub-matrix has components associated with i) a row dimensionhaving a number of rows equal to N_(R) and ii) a column dimension havinga number of columns equal to N_(T), and wherein at least one of i) N_(R)is less than the number of receiving antennas of the first communicationdevice, and ii) N_(T) is less than the number of transmission antennas.16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14,wherein each channel estimation sub-matrix that accounts for use of thefirst N_(ss) columns of the full-dimensional spatial spreading matrixhas components associated with i) a row dimension having a number ofrows equal to N_(R) and ii) a column dimension having a number ofcolumns equal to N_(ss).
 17. The non-transitory computer readablestorage medium of claim 14, having stored thereon machine readableinstructions that, when executed by the processing device of the firstcommunication device, cause the processing device to apply the firstN_(ss) columns of the full-dimensional spatial spreading matrix to eachof the channel estimation sub-matrices at least by right-multiplyingeach of the channel estimation sub-matrices with the first N_(ss)columns of the full-dimensional spatial spreading matrix.
 18. Thenon-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein thefirst N_(ss) columns of the full-dimensional spatial spreading matrixform a spatial spreading matrix having components associated with i) arow dimension having a number of rows equal to N_(T) and ii) a columndimension having a number of columns equal to N_(ss).